Geezer's Long March Toward the Elite Sneaking Up On the Finish Line

[BrooklynJerry]

I'm sure you have the 240 sqt.
I'm thinking of trying something different myself. Instead of combining upper body and lower body work I may do them on separate days.
Have a Happy New Yest Year and good[d luck with the contest prep.

[Mark E. Hurling]

Thanks for the vote of confidence Jerry. You have a good New Year too.

[Mark E. Hurling]

Test singles.

Bench Press: 45-5, 95-5, 135-3, 165-1, 185-1, 205-1, 215-1. I was playing it safe to assure some early success, if I had gone for 220 I probably would have gotten it.

High Cable Pulls: 100 for 3 sets of 5.

Push Press: 45-5, 75-3, 100-1, 110-1, 125-1, 135-1. I haven't gotten that weight in nearly a year. Another good start to the new year.

Cable Curls: 165-170-180 for sets of 12.

Music: Danger Zone, Pines of Rome, Gimme Shelter, Ride of the Rohirrim, Urgent, Ring of Fire, Weird Science, Round and Round, Chain of Fools, Once Bitten Twice Shy, Her Sgtrut, Rawhide.

51 minutes average HR 123 BPM @ 83% of MHR. Average resting HR of 59 BPM and with a VO2 Max Very Good to Excellent @ range of 37-41.

[Mark E. Hurling]

Test singles.

Deadlift: 95-5, 185-3, 265-1, 305-1, 335-1, 355-1. Like the bench press yesterday, I might have made 360 if I had tried it. Just the back squat to test now. That qualifying total is looking good.

Hip Belt Squat: 225-235-245 sets of 5.

Music: Toccata and Fugue in D Minor, Kashmir, White Rabbit, Tusk, Madman Across the Water, Under Pressure, Runaway, Rescue Me, Radar Love, Dueling Banjos.

58 minutes average HR 124 BPM @ 84% of MHR. Average resting HR of 60 BPM and with a VO2 Max Very Good to Excellent @ range of 37-41.

[Mark E. Hurling]

Got in some long overdue conditioning today with rounds of speed bag, plate haloes, medicine ball tosses, kettlebell swings, crunches, heavy bag, prowler push, with rowing and hamstring and knee flexor stretches.

30 minutes average HR 154 BPM @104% of MHR. Average resting HR of 60 BPM and with a VO2 Max Very Good to Excellent @ range of 37-41.

[Mark E. Hurling]

Test singles.

Squats: 45-5, 89-5, 134-1, 177-1, 221-1, 246-1. Metric plates. I'm not completely sure of the depth, but it felt legit.

Clean and Jerk: 89-3, 133-1, 143-0. More metric plates. Just couldn't get the clean, the jerk was likely, but I haven't done a full clean to the chest and shoulders in over a year.

So there it is. A 215 bench press, a 355 deadlift, and a 246 squat. Total: 816. I frankly didn't expect this so early in the new year. But glad of it.

Music: Run Through the Jungle, Peter Gunn, Bad to the Bone, The Four Seasons, Tush, Break on Through to the Other Side, Who Let the Dogs Out, Living La Vida Loca, Higher, Goldfinger, Iron Man.

51 minutes average HR 136 BPM @92% of MHR. Average resting HR of 60 BPM and with a VO2 Max Very Good to Excellent @ range of 37-41.

[Mark E. Hurling]

Back to coaching the Special Olympians for the New Year. This was a deload session with sets of 5 repetitions after a break for the holidays. Legacy Gym as always gave us a cheery welcome. As might be expected this time of year there were more people than usual. The New Year Resolutionarys as I like to refer to them. Most will be gone by the end of the month anyway.

But the Big Muddy Iron Crew lifters were as inspired and dedicated as ever. The focus was on form tonight. Things like keeping the knees out coming up from the bottom of the squat and asking about how their grip was doing in the deadlift. Turns out grip doesn't seem like a critical issue, which is good since grip is so important in hanging on to the bar in that lift.

All the lifters are multisport athletes and Lena and Kaydee qualified for the Winter Games in snowshoeing, so some congratulations were in order.

[Cheesepuff]

Keep up the good work. Your music selection never disappoints.

[Mark E. Hurling]

Keep up the good work. Your music selection never disappoints.

Thanks CP.

[Mark E. Hurling]

Sets of 5-5-5. Deload/Dynamic Effort/Speed Work

Bench Press: 95@40%-5, 115@50%-5, 135@60%-5.

Cable High Pulldown: 60 for 3 sets of 5.

Push Press: 50@75%-5, 65@85%-5, 80@95%-5.

Curl: 130 for 3 sets of 5.

Music: Steel Claw, When the Bullet Hit's the Bone, Beethoven's 5th, Fire Down Below, Smoke on the Water, B;lack Dog.

31 minutes average HR 123 BPM @ 83% of MHR. Average resting HR of 60 BPM and with a VO2 Max Very Good to Excellent @ range of 37-41.

Been a little dicey the last week or so, vehicle problems, then the weather. But finally back in the gym which has proved to be a great stress reducer.